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Cleveland Burn Injury Lawyers
Strong advocacy when accidents in Ohio cause burns and scarring
Accidents can cause severe burn injuries in many different ways. Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents can cause burns if the fuel ignites. Defective appliances, power tools, and equipment can cause fires and electrical burns. Hot liquids that spill on a person’s skin can cause incredibly painful thermal burns. At Crandall & Pera Law, our personal injury lawyers have 50 years of combined experience fighting for burn injury victims. Our Cleveland burn injury lawyers work with burn specialists, plastic surgeons, and psychologists to show the life-changing impact of all types of burns. Call us today to assert your right to compensation.
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What causes burn injuries?
The types of accidents that cause burn injuries include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, product defects, premises liability accidents, restaurant accidents, construction accidents, improper use of medical diagnostic tests, and other types of accidents.
For example, car accidents can cause burns in the following ways:
- Fuel lines that ignite
- Touching hot engines
- Contacting damaged batteries and wires
- Exposure to toxins, including gasoline, battery acid, and other substances
- Exposure to steam and scaling liquids
The events/materials that cause burns, according to the Cleveland Clinic, are:
- Thermal burns. The sources include fire, steam, hot liquids, and contact with hot surfaces.
- Electrical burns. The sources include power tools, overhead power lines, defective machines, and equipment, exposure to high voltage, and other causes.
- Chemical burns. These burns cause harm in two ways – by breathing dangerous chemicals and when the chemicals come into contact with your skin. The sources include cleaning products, construction site products (such as acids and cement), and spills of harmful chemicals from commercial trucks.
- Radiation burns. The sources include X-rays and other medical technology.
Excess exposure to the sun can also cause severe burns.
Anyone who suffers burn injuries due to the negligence of others has the right to file a personal injury claim. Burn injury victims are normally treated at burn injury centers such as Ohio’s MetroHealth’s Comprehensive Burn Care Center. Some victims also undergo treatment in emergency rooms.
How are burn injuries classified in Cleveland?
Burns are classified as follows, according to Stanford Medicine, depending on how deeply and severely the injuries penetrate the skin's surface.
- First-degree (superficial) burns. These burns only affect the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. The symptoms include redness, pain, and dryness – without blisters. A common example of a first-degree burn is sunburn. This type of burn normally doesn’t cause long-term damage.
- Second-degree (partial thickness) burns. These burns affect the epidermis and part of the lower layer of skin, the dermis. Symptoms include redness and blisters, and the injury site may be painful and swollen.
- Third-degree (full thickness) burns. These burns “destroy the epidermis and dermis.” Third-degree burns “may go into the innermost layer of skin, the subcutaneous tissue.” Symptoms include a burn injury site that looks white or blackened and charred.
- Fourth-degree burns. These burns “go through both layers of the skin and underlying tissue as well as deeper tissue, possibly involving muscle and bone. There is no feeling in the area since the nerve endings are destroyed.”
What are the treatments for burn injuries in Cleveland?
All burns need to be kept clean. Doctors will initially focus on looking for and treating any infections and providing immediate pain care.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the treatments for these types of burns include:
- First-degree burns. Cleveland Clinic recommends running cool water over the burn but not applying ice. For thermal burns, an antibiotic cream is used, and the wound can be covered with a light amount of gauze. OTC pain medications may help.
- Second-degree burns: A stronger antibiotic cream may be used to kill bacteria. Elevation of the injury site can reduce pain and swelling.
- Third-degree burns:These burns are life-threatening and, in many cases, require skin grafts. Skin grafts use skin from another part of your body. If the burns are too severe, the source of the skin graft may come from a deceased donor or artificial surfaces – that is eventually replaced with the victim’s own skin. Other treatments for third-degree burns include IV fluids and monitoring the victim’s blood pressure.
Cleveland uses just three categories of burns. In most cases, the fourth-degree burns that Stanford Medicine references are fatal.
Many third-degree burn injury victims in Cleveland and across Ohio require plastic surgery. For many burn injury victims, the psychological trauma of living with unsightly scars and disfigurement (especially on the face) can cause a lifetime of emotional pain. Victims often require psychological care to cope. Some burn injury victims may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
How much is my burn injury claim worth in Ohio?
At Crandall & Pera Law, we work with all your burn doctors to verify the type and severity of your burns, the medical care you’ll need, the complications (such as organ failure, dehydration, and pneumonia) that may arise, the cost of your care, and every way your life is difficult and traumatic because of your burns. Our Cleveland burn injury lawyers demand compensation for all your current and future:
- Medical expenses. These include emergency care, burn center or emergency room care, hospitalizations, doctor visits, rehabilitative therapy, psychological counseling, medications, and assistive technology.
- Lost income and benefits. We demand compensation for Ohio burn injury victims for all the time they can’t work due to their medical care and if their injuries prevent them from working after their surgeries and rehabilitation are complete.
- Pain and suffering. Our personal injury lawyers demand compensation for the pain, anxiety, depression, trauma, and all physical and emotional harm that burns cause.
- Scarring and disfigurements. We demand additional compensation if you have visible burns (face, arms, or legs) or scars anywhere on your body. These scars and disfiguring injuries can lead to difficulty functioning and impact the ability to be happy.
Other damages may include the inability to enjoy life’s pleasures, the loss of bodily function, and the loss of consortium (enjoyment of marital relations).
You may also be entitled to punitive damages if the defendant’s conduct was unconscionable.
We file wrongful death claims on behalf of families when burn injuries are fatal.
Do you have a Cleveland burn injury lawyer near me?
Crandall & Pera Law represent burn injury victims in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Chagrin Falls, and Chesterland, Ohio. Our lawyers also represent clients in Lexington, Kentucky. If your burns prevent you from coming to our office, we will make alternate arrangements. Our lawyers also consult with clients by phone and through video conversations.
We’re ready to answer all your questions and guide you through each step of the claims process.
Speak with our experienced Cleveland burn injury lawyers now
Serious burn injuries are life-changing. The immediate physical pain is unbearable. Most burn injury victims require long-term rehabilitative care. For many victims, the emotional pain is often devastating. At Crandall & Pera Law, we’ve dedicated our careers to fighting for personal injury victims and families. We’re here to help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Call us now or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.